Lil' man Smith is being a stinker!!!

I went for my 32 week Dr's appointment today - business as usual. However, my lil' man had alternate plans for my day. Everything checked out fine - my weight gain, fundal height, and his heart rate. Then she took my blood pressure ... 4 times! My blood pressure was in the 140/90's range, with my norm being 100/60's. Dr Spell came in to talk with me, check me out and take my blood pressure again. Now they were 150/100's. So she gave me some education on Pregnancy Induced Hypertension and Preclampsia and reassured me that they would be watching me closely. Then she sent me on my way to be directly admitted to the labor and delivery floor for observation for the next few hours. If my blood pressure decreased, I would be able to go home after a few hours - if not, I would have to stay the night.

Knowing how important my blood pressure readings were, I was trying to stay calm and not cry. My mom works at the dr's office next door to my OB/GYN and was able to leave work to sit with me in that big, hollow room. My blood pressure started off a little high, but began to go down within a couple of hours. So, they released me! Yeah!!! I have orders for strict bedrest - only getting up to take a shower, go to the restroom, and eat. I have the okay to go to my baby shower tomorrow, but I was told I must keep my feet elevated the whole time and take it easy.

We were not prepared for this little scare, and I am a little concerned at what this means for the next 7 weeks of pregnancy. However, am excited about tomorrow and can only take one day at a time. I am on orders of bedrest until mid-next week until my next appointment. They will then decide to make me cut my hours at work or keep me on strict bedrest. I am trying not to worry and am just praying for a healthy baby at this point.

Dr Spell said that they try to do everything to not have to deliever before 37 weeks, so we have at least 5 more weeks to go. Please just keep us in your prayers - we are positive that everything will turn out just fine! I guess I should consider this my time to relax and rejuvenate before the lil' man comes out to play - being even more of a stinker!!! :)

Two weekends in solitude!

I guess it is that time of the year for everyone to pass sickness around to each other. Well that is exactly what is happening in my household. Jason started feeling sick last Tuesday and by Thursday evening, he was out for the count. He had already planned on taking Friday off, however, we thought we were going to be having a fun weekend together, getting things done around the house. But there were other plans in store! Jason layed on the couch from Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon - suffering from stuffiness, headache, dizziness, and no energy! He slept most of the weekend and is still getting over the last of the stuffiness.

Then it all started for me on Wednesday night with a slightly sore throat. Thursday, during the day, my sore throat felt fine but I was starting to feel stuffy and had a couple episodes of dizziness. I went to work on Thursday night, hoping it was going to pass quickly, due to me taking vitamins for the first time in my life. However, on Friday morning, I started feeling really stuffy, my sore throat started to reappear, and I had a really bad headache. I came home and slept as much as I could, still trying to breathe. I ended up calling in on Friday night to rest and hopefully return to work on Saturday, however, it has just gotten worse. I ended up going to the Minute Clinic on Friday afternoon, where the nurse practitioner ended up doing a strep test and cultured my throat. I have strep and she thinks the beginning of the flu. I am a little angry because she didn't give me an antibiotic, saying that they would know the results of the culture in 24 hours and would then call me in an antibiotic. After hearing nothing from them yesterday, I called them back and they informed me that the culture could take up to 72 hours. This means that I am on no antibiotics and all they gave me was some throat swish with lidocaine. So I sit waiting, no one wants to put me on unneeded antibiotics and are afraid to prescribe anything since I am pregnant. Damn people!

So since Friday afternoon, I have slept (or should I say 'napped') endlessly! I am getting stir crazy and officially have left an indention in my couch! :) I am feeling a little better today and look forward to returning to work. But then, I was told that I couldn't return because I hadn't been on antibiotics for 24 hours. I am upset because now I am stuck at home again. I am upset with the people at the Minute Clinic and think I will be writing them a note. I do not want to go to work and make everyone sick, but I am feeling better and do not want to take any more time. I was thinking I would be able to go in if I wore a mask or something. Uggghhhh!

The Big Nursery Reveal

Where the little man will rest his sweet lil' head ...

Part of his wardrobe - Dad is proud of all of his Nike shoes :)


The view from the door

AAnd the rocker ...

His dresser, toy chest, lil' chair ... and Franklin!!!

I am happy to announce that the nursery is FINALLY baby steps away from being completely finished! It has been a long process, but I wanted to make sure we got it perfect. Our lil' man is going to have a wonderful room to sleep, play, read and grow up in. This is such a huge step for Jason and I, as it is just one step closer to the realization that we are going to be parents very soon! We keep the door open to the nursery now so we can constantly look in. It is hard to comprehend that there is going to be a little body in that baby bed in less than 2 months!!! :)

So, as promised, here are some pics of the room. I absolutely L-O-V-E the bed and am very happy with all the other furniture that we have. My biggest bargain and biggest surprise purchase was the cream rocker and ottoman that is in the corner. I wanted a rocker and ottoman really, really bad - but am not going to pay $600 for the set. So, instead, we got a heck of a deal and ended up buying this one at a baby specialty store for $175 for the set. We even got a little man chair to match his room so he can one day sit and read all of his books! Anways, with the help of Whitney and Tahisha, I was able to purchase the mini chair and rocker/ottoman set and bring it home. We celebrated with some Sonic ice cream too! Us 3 make quite the team when you get us together!!!! :) Thanks girls!

So here are the pics ... you will have to come see it in person to really enjoy it! I couldn't be more happier with the way it all turned out. I am proud if the work. I have a few little crafts to make to hang on the walls, which I will later post pictures of. Otherwise, the curtains are the last touch - which I will be making in the next couple weeks!!! Enjoy!!!!

10 more weeks to go!!!

I thought since I hadn't updated in a couple weeks, I would fill everyone in. We are now at 30 weeks and counting down the days - one by one! I have been feeling okay overall - just uncomfortable with heartburn/acid reflux, burning feet, difficulty breathing, near impossibility of getting a good nights sleep and very painful hips. I am ready to have my body back, that is for sure! :)

I came home from work the other morning and my entire stomach morphed to one side. Jason and I were able to feel something extremely hard pushing out - we are thinking it was his hind end! I cannot wait to see those little cheeks. He moves all the time and I am continuing to grow every day, literally. I have now gained a total of 18lbs and feel as though I am a walking torpedo. I will have to take some pics and post them for everyone to see. I keep telling everyone that I am not sure where exactly I am going to grow for the next 2 months!

This weekend Jason and I have a 4 day weekend off together, however, he started to get sick earlier this week and it hit him on Thursday night. We have been lounging around the house, not doing much other than watching TV and taking frequent naps together. I have officially bought everything for the nursery and am in the process of getting it all together. We are going to pick up the dresser and cubby/bookcase tomorrow. I have all his clothes hanging up and will get the rest of the nursery completed by the end of this weekend! It is all becoming so real and we cannot wait until we finally get to touch, kiss and cuddle this little guy!

I will be posting some pics of the nursery early this week. It is all coming together and these next two months are going to be filled with things to do and projects to complete!!!!

Meet Baby Smith

The day we had we waiting for finally came on Friday! We were able to see our lil' man for the first time in detail. It was AMAZING and I am sooo glad that we decided to do the 3D/4D ultrasound. Jason and I were surrounded by a few of the people dearest to us (his my, my mom, my grandmother, my best friend and her son). To share this experience with our family was priceless! There were a few tears and a ton of laughing and funny comments. Each picture was better than the one before. We reserved a hour of time to get to see him and all his lil' parts. Our favorite was one where he was grabbing the bridge of his nose, as if saying, "please leave me alone." Daddy wanted a picture of his feet and mommy wanted a picture of his butt! We ended up getting all the shots we wanted. His eyes look a little scary, but he has a precious little face! We are even more excited to meet him and cannot wait for the next few months pass by.

Daddy is as giddy as can be. He has had a smile on his face since Friday! He talks about the lil' guy and the things he cannot wait to do with him! I am so blessed to have such a great support system by my side. He is always commenting how beautiful I am, how he cannot wait to start a family together, and so excited for the day that we both become parents. I truely cannot wait to see him in action with our lil' guy! He will be such a great daddy - he learned from the best, his father.

Meet Baby Smith - will meet him in person before you know it!!!! :)

He's hiding his face - but here are his hands and ear

He says "leave me alone" - this is his daddy all over! :)

Frustrated from the beginning ... he is camera shy

Meet Baby Smith (continued)

He is resting peacefully for the moment ...

This is our favorite - he says "enough is enough"

He loves to have his hands by his face - covering it most of the time!

Meet Baby Smith (continued)

He is resting his lil' hand on his precious face

His feet - crossed at the ankles

There is his lil' body ...

He is already fussy - sick of being bothered! :)

Mommy can't wait to see this little butt!